Robot spider – Japanese-style wastewater treatment solution

According to Japanese robotics company TMSUK, there is currently a severe shortage of workers to check the drainage system. Because this is a hard, hard and even dangerous job. As a result, the company set out to find ways to address the current worker’s workload by developing a robotic spider capable of assisting with sewage pipe inspections.

Called SPD1, the prototype of this multi-legged robot was created in response to a specific request from a pipeline and wastewater maintenance company.

In its current form, the device measures 21 x 25 x 28 cm, weighs about 3.5 kg and is designed to be able to pass through narrow pipes. It is powered and controlled remotely via a cable, which connects from the back of it to the operator’s position, with a controller similar to a gamepad.

Operators can view real-time video from the SPD1’s built-in camera. This camera can be in the form of a Raspberry Pi 2 camera module, or an XDV360 360-degree camera. The advantage of the latter is that instead of having to rotate and tilt the actual physical camera system, users can simply pan and tilt on their own touchscreen.0

The robot’s “spider eye” is actually a positioning LED and sensor, allowing it to be used to assess its surroundings.

And while a single SPD1 could only be used to perform pipeline inspections, TMSUK envisioned a scenario where three robots could be physically linked together by a tether, then operated group action. In this setup, the lead robot will navigate through the pipeline, the second robot will identify areas to repair, and the third robot will perform those repairs via a tool holder arm.

SPD1 was demonstrated at a “sewage pipeline survey site”, after which, if it passed a availability test, its commercial product would be announced.

Refer to NewAtlas, TMSUK